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Browns defensive tackle Billy Winn shares his story with teammates on the sideline after picking up a Cincinnati Bengals fumble in the fourth quarter Sunday, October 14, 2012 at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland. The Browns won the game 34-24.
(Photo by Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

Billy Winn has performed some radical stunts in his days as an extreme sports enthusiast. As a teenager, he caught some big air on his skateboard while riding it through his neighbor’s halfpipe.

But nothing proved more exhilarating than what Winn did before adoring fans at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sunday. He ran with a football.

The 6-4, 295-pound defensive tackle scooped a fourth-quarter fumble created by Browns teammate Emmanuel Stephens and rumbled 35 yards before being caught from behind by Cincinnati Bengals halfback Cedric Peerman. The big play sealed the Browns’ 34-24 victory, their first of the season.

"I just had tunnel vision," said Winn, who picked up the ball cleanly after Stephens sacked quarterback Andy Dalton and forced the turnover. "I just heard the crowd, and I was thinking: ‘Run, run, run.’"

The rookie recovered fumbles at Boise State but never had the chance to fulfill the fantasy of many defensive linemen — a football in his grasp and acres of running room between himself and the goal line.

The Bengals were inside the Browns’ 10 and threatening to make it a three-point game with 2:39 remaining. Once Winn retrieved the ball, he took off down the middle of the field. He never glanced at the stadium jumbotron to see if anyone was gaining ground but could feel Peerman grabbing at the football.

Winn held on tight and fell to the turf. An hour after the game, the ball was tucked firmly in his locker.

"I’ll probably put it in a lock box so nobody takes it away from me," Winn said jokingly. "No, I’m definitely going to frame this, and it’s going to sit where I can see it every day. … These things don’t come every day. This is a gift."

Winn gave full credit to Stephens for creating the big play with his rush off the edge.

The Browns surrendered just 24 points despite playing without standout defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin (calf). Winn and fellow rookie John Hughes started at the tackles. The Browns, who ranked 26th against the rush, allowed a season-low 76 yards rushing.

"We knew we were a little shorthanded, but it comes down to carrying that flag," Winn said. "A guy goes down, and that’s part of football. You have to finish. You have to pick it up and get going." 

Cooper connection:Josh Cooper was promoted from the practice squad this week with injuries to three receivers. He certainly made a contribution in his NFL debut.

Cooper caught two passes for 39 yards, the first a 28-yard, over-the-shoulder grab on a third-and-7 in the first quarter. The former teammate of Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden said the pair always has enjoyed chemistry.

"We’ve always had that connection," Cooper said. "It might have shown today a little bit when he tried to throw over my back shoulder today, which he doesn’t usually do."

Cooper’s second reception, an 11-yarder, came on a third down and extended a second-quarter drive that ended with Josh Gordon’s 71-yard TD reception.

"That’s my boy," Weeden said of Cooper. "I was so pumped for him I could barely call the play [that led to the 28-yard completion] in the huddle. … It didn’t surprise me; that guy can flat-out play."

The Browns were without receivers Mohamed Massaquoi (hamstring), Travis Benjamin (hamstring) and Jordan Norwood (foot).Cribbs returns:Josh Cribbs faked out the Bengals by signaling his teammates to stay away on his 60-yard punt return that set up a field goal.

"I don’t know why they think I [signaled] fair catch," said Cribbs. "I very rarely fair catch, and when I do, it’s one swipe. I saw the gunner lay off. I guess he thought I fair-caught it, but that’s his fault. You’ve got to come out ready to play.

"I was basically telling my team to get away from it. The wind was messing with it, and then it came right to me, and I caught it and ran with it. … The ball was just moving all over the place, and it was hard for us to get a bead on the ball, and that’s why I had a couple muffs out there."

Cribbs also had a 44-yard kickoff return to set up Ben Watson’s fourth-quarter TD.

"You could see over the last couple weeks the guys starting to come together as a unit," Cribbs said. "We’re just picking up our blocks.

"The guys out there are really excited on special teams."

Flash Gordon: Gordon dazzled the crowd with his one-handed 71-yard TD catch, his second long TD in as many weeks. "It was a great confidence booster for us," said Gordon. "Last week, I didn’t feel like I had a breakout game if I didn’t contribute to a victory. This feels a lot better."

Pinkston ill: Guard Jason Pinkston became ill early on and was out of the game entirely midway through. He was replaced by John Greco.

Picking up the O: The Browns’ offense went seven possessions without a first down, a drought that spanned the second and third quarters. The home team was only outscored 7-6 in during that span, however, thanks to some terrific defensive play.

The Bengals’ lone points came on a short field late in the second quarter after a 32-yard punt return by Brandon Tate and a 5-yard penalty on Cleveland gave them the ball at the Browns 27.

Some poor clock management cost the Bengals on the final drive of the first half and Browns cornerback Joe Haden intercepted a pass in the third quarter.

"We just settled down and that’s one thing we haven’t been doing lately," Browns defensive end Frostee Rucker said. "We haven’t been settling down and we’ve been giving up big plays and things like that. For what we want and what we are striving to be that’s unacceptable. Today, there was extra attention to detail."

Tick, tick, tick: The Bengals failed to add a score on their final drive of the first half as they were unable to get to the line of scrimmage and spike the ball to set up a short field goal. The half ended with the Bengals leading, 14-7.

Dalton hit receiver A.J. Green with a 25-yard pass, a play that carried to the Browns’ 16. Television replays seemed to show Dalton might have spiked the ball with one tick left on the clock. But referee Pete Morelli said such plays are not covered under reviews.

"The clock is taken on the field by the line judge and back judge ..." Morelli told a pool reporter. "I got the signal from them that after the snap when the ball hit the ground there were zeros on the clock."

JMJ starts: Starting linebacker Scott Fujita sat out with a neck/shoulder injury. Rookie James-Michael Johnson made his first career start, registering two tackles on defense and one on special teams.

Brownies: Cornerback Buster Skrine led the Browns with 10 tackles. … The Browns surrendered two sacks against a Bengals defense that entered the game tied for first with 18 sacks.

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